Saskatchewan Rush head coach Derek Keenan says he’d do it all over again.

Georgia Swarm head coach Ed Comeau said he would have done the exact same thing, given the opportunity.

“Ask me if I’d do it again and I’d do it every time,” Keenan explained in a post-game media conference after a shocking end to bot the Rush’s season and National Lacrosse League Champion’s Cup final.

“That’s the way we work that play and we work that situation. This time, it didn’t work out … It was tough.”

Leading 14-13 and taking possession with 11 seconds left in regulation, the Rush pulled goalie Aaron Bold for an extra player on the floor. It was a designed play to protect the lead, kill off the clock and match the Swarm, which had earlier pulled their goalie for an extra runner.

Thompson scored at 1:17 of sudden-death OT to give the visiting Swarm a 15-14 victory and a first-ever Champion’s Cup.

Thompson’s game-winner gave Georgia a two-game sweep in the best-of-three National Lacrosse League championship series as the Swarm took Game 1 by an 18-14 count.

It also ended a two-year Champion’s Cup reign by the Rush.

“It would be obviously understating it to say it’s a great feeling,” said Swarm coach Comeau.

“We got it done and it’s a great feeling. I said to the guys that the only feeling better than this is trying to do it again down the road. We’re excited and thankful.”

As crazy as it looked for Rush fans, pulling the goalie to kill the clock and counter the opposing team’s extra attacker is nothing new for the Rush as Keenan’s squad has done it many times before, just not at the end of a Champion’s Cup final.

“It’s something we always do — we practice it,” explained Keenan when asked about the play.

“If you ask Eddy what he would do, he’d say the same thing. We normally execute that with precision and easily. We just made a mistake. We didn’t get the ball in an area that we’re supposed and it ended up as a turnover.

“But, you know what, we had the game on our stick (first overtime possession) and it didn’t happen.”

The Swarm actually prepared for what they saw in the dying seconds of regulation. They knew what was coming. Comeau admits he would have done the same thing as Keenan.

“That’s the right play to do,” said Comeau. “We would have done the exact same thing. It was the right play. They just had a bad bounce.”

Adam Jones had scored with 1:12 left in regulation to give the hometown Rush a 14-13 lead and what looked to be a sure win until the dying seconds.

In overtime, Saskatchewan gained possession off the face-off but failed to score.

“We had a possession each; they scored on theirs,” said Keenan.

Randy Staats led Georgia with four goals and three assists. NLL leading scorer Lyle Thompson, who was named the Champion’s Cup MVP, had three goals and four assists.

“It was just a crazy series of events that went down,” admitted Thompson.

“During (Saturday morning’s) shoot-around, we prepared for that exact moment that went down for them to pull their goalie and me and Joel (White) to double the ball and for us to score.”

Johnny Powless added two goals and three assists. Jordan Hall and Myles Thompson also tallied two goals apiece.

Robert Church paced Saskatchewan with four goals and an assist. Adam Jones added three goals and an assist. Ben McIntosh also notched a hat trick.

“It was definitely the hardest game of the year,” said McIntosh. “Guys on the bench were giving everything they’ve got.

“A lot of emotions. You’re at the highest of highs and then you get to the lowest of lows pretty quick.

“It was an exciting game and definitely fun to be a part of.”

Ryan Keenan chipped in with two goals and three assists in what may have been his finest game of the season. Jeremy Thompson and Matt Hossack rounded out the scoring.

Mark Matthews was held scoreless but contributed five assists.

Saskatchewan never led in Game 2 until there was 11:48 left in the fourth quarter when McIntosh gave the Rush a 11-10 lead.

It was a part of a four-goal explosion early in the fourth quarter. Church started things off by scoring 30 seconds in to cut Georgia’s lead to 10-9.

Hossack scored two minutes later to knot the score at 10-10 before McIntosh and Church scored 24 seconds apart to make it 12-10 for Saskatchewan.

“When they went on that four-goal run to put them up by two, none of us ever felt we were out of it,” said Swarm goalie Mike Poulin, who made 48 saves for the win.

“We knew we have the offence that can put us back into it. Our offence picked us up when we needed it the most.”

The Swarm were able to fend off the Rush and their raucous crowd.

“We were coming to a hornet’s nest,” said Comeau. “It’s loud which makes it hard for the visiting team. That’s what we should have in every rink. If we had that in every rink, our league would be even more spectacular than it already is.”

The game didn’t get off to a great start for the hometown Rush as the Swarm scored three goals on their first four shots on Bold.

“It wasn’t a great start,” said Keenan. “But we bounced back. We weren’t really concerned at all. We got Boldy out for 30 seconds and we was fine after that.”

“When we’re down, we don’t feel like we’re out of it,” said Church. “Two or three goals, it doesn’t matter to us. We always feel we’re going to come back. We had that two-goal lead in the fourth quarter and the crowd was going nuts. We had our chances to make that a three-goal lead and we led them back in and you know the rest.”

Saskatchewan outshot Georgia by a 62-53 margin, including a 30-17 margin in the second half.

“We played really well in the second half and took it to them at times,” said Keenan.

‘The game was phenomenal. If that doesn’t sell the game, I don’t know what will. The skill level out there was ridiculous. They were tough, They were worthy of the victory, that’s for sure.

“Winning in this league isn’t easy. There’s a lot of parity. The team that defeated us is a great team, built similar to us. They’re young and skilled. We have to figure out how to get better than them.”

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